It’s development vs dynasty, Modi tells poll­bound Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed the Gujarat assembly elections as a battle between “vikasvaad” (development) and “vanshvaad” (dynasty), targeting the Congress on a range of issues, including GST, corruption and the party’s “anti-Gujarat stand”.


Modi was addressing lakhs of BJP ‘page presidents’ (in-charges of electoral roll pages) on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in what could be his last big rally before elections are announced and the model code of conduct comes into force.
Speaking from a giant stage, with a banner highlighting the Sardar Sarovar Dam, Modi touched upon issues raised by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi during the two legs of his Navsarjan Yatra in September and last week.
Modi hailed his close aide and BJP president Amit Shah, calling him “man of the match” of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, six days after Gandhi had targeted Shah over a controversy surrounding his son’s company.
With Congress targeting the Modi government with a ‘Vikas Gandho thayo che’ (development has gone crazy) campaign on social media, the PM dared it to contest the polls on the development plank. “Communalism, casteism, dynastic rule, misleading the people — these are the instruments which Congress uses to win elections. They don’t have it in them to win on the issue of development,” the prime minister said.
“This election is a duel between development and dynastic rule. Development is going to win and dynastic rule is going to lose,” he said.
“The Congress is neck deep in corruption. Its leadership is out on bail. Will you allow such a party to rule in Gujarat?” Modi asked.

Modi accused the Congress of treating Gujarati leaders “unfairly” and named first home minister Sardar Patel and former prime minister Morarji Desai among the party’s victims.